Flash Memory Having Multi-Level Architecture

ABSTRACT

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a multi-level flash memory and a process flow to form same.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/764,060, filed Apr. 20, 2010 and entitled Flash Memory Having Multi-Level Architecture, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a multi-level flash memory and a process flow to form same.

2. Information

Memory devices may be employed in many types of electronic equipment, such as computers, cell phones, PDA's, data loggers, games, and navigational gear, for example. Continuing demand for smaller and/or more capable electronic equipment may lead to a desire for smaller, higher density memory devices, which may involve small semiconductor feature sizes that approach lower boundaries associated with material and electronic behavior at atomic or molecular levels. Accordingly, approaches to increase memory density other than decreasing semiconductor feature sizes may involve new configurations, such as three-dimensional memory architecture. Such an approach, however, may involve a dramatic shift to new fabrication techniques and/or new process flows that may be relatively expensive to implement. Thus, there may be a desire for a three-dimensional memory architecture that may be fabricated using a process flow that is modified relatively little from that used to fabricate more familiar two-dimensional memory architecture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments will be described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of a multi-level memory device, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is another cross-section view of a multi-level memory device, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a process to form a multi-level memory device, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of gate stack layers of a transistor portion of a memory device, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of a transistor portion of a memory device, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of a transistor portion of a memory device including an interlayer dielectric layer, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of a memory device prepared for fabricating a memory array, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of a memory device including a memory array, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is another cross-section view of a memory device including a memory array, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a cross-section view of a memory device prepared for fabricating a source contact, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a cross-section view of a memory device, according to another embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a cross-section view of a memory device prepared for fabricating a multi-level memory array, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a cross-section view of drain or source contacts in a multi-level memory array, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of a computing system and a memory device, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of claimed subject matter. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in one or more embodiments.

In an embodiment, a three-dimensional memory structure may comprise peripheral circuitry on a substrate, an interlayer dielectric layer (ILD) to cover the peripheral circuitry, and two or more levels of memory cell arrays on the ILD. Such an ILD may comprise, for example, silicon oxide deposited using various techniques including low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and/or atomic layer deposition (ALD). Such peripheral circuitry, for example, may comprise control circuitry to select and/or operate gate lines, bit lines, and/or drain-source lines, for example. Such peripheral circuitry may also comprise sense amplifier circuitry, though claimed subject matter is not so limited. Despite the name, peripheral circuitry need not reside on the periphery of a memory structure. In particular, such peripheral circuitry may be disposed between a substrate upon which the peripheral circuitry is built and two or more levels of memory cell arrays. In one implementation, such a three-dimensional memory structure may comprise a NAND flash memory, though claimed subject matter is not limited in this respect.

In an embodiment, an array of memory cells may comprise charge trap NAND flash memory. Such memory cells may comprise an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) stack to selectively trap charge carriers, and a channel region between source/drain regions. Source/drain contact with various levels of memory arrays may comprise a conductive plug that extends through the various levels of memory arrays. In a particular embodiment, a drain contact may extend from a topmost memory cell array level to a bottom-most memory cell array level.

In an embodiment, a process flow to fabricate a three-dimensional memory structure may begin by forming peripheral circuitry on a substrate. After covering peripheral circuitry with insulating material and/or an ILD, a first memory array level may be formed. After covering a first memory array level with further insulating material and/or an ILD, another memory array level may be formed, and so on. Contact lines to various memory array levels may then be formed as described below. Of course, such details of a process to fabricate a three-dimensional memory structure are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is not so limited.

In another embodiment, a process flow to fabricate a three-dimensional memory structure may begin by forming a first memory array level on a substrate. After covering a first memory array level with added insulating material and/or an ILD, another memory array level may be formed, and so on. After forming a last memory array level, peripheral circuitry may be formed on the substrate by selective removal of array ILD in a circuitry region. After covering peripheral circuitry with added insulating material and/or an ILD, conductive contact lines to various memory array levels may then be formed as described below. Again, such details of a process to fabricate a three-dimensional memory structure are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is not so limited.

FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of a multi-level memory device 100 in a first direction, according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is another cross-section view of multi-level memory device 100 in a second direction, substantially orthogonal to the first direction, according to an embodiment. Such a three-dimensional memory device may allow relatively high-density packing of memory by stacking multiple array levels upon one another. Here, the word “stacking” is not meant to imply that such memory array levels are formed elsewhere and subsequently placed upon one another. Instead, such memory array levels may be fabricated in-situ over peripheral circuitry built into a substrate. For example, a lower portion of memory device 100 may comprise peripheral circuitry 120 on substrate 105, while an upper portion may comprise memory array stack 110. In particular, peripheral circuitry 120 may include one or more transistors 125 interconnected via various conductive lines 130 buried in ILD 145, for example. Memory array stack 110 may comprise one or more memory array levels 115 that include an array of memory cells 140. Adjacent memory array levels 115 may be insulated and/or separated from one another by at least ILD 135, though other materials and/or layers may be used. In a particular implementation, an ONO stack 205 may be etched in a particular region 255 on a polysilicon (poly) layer 260 to form a source contact 1015 in array levels 115. Polysilicon may be deposited using various techniques such as LPCVD, CVD, ALD and/or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), for example, and doped in situ (e.g., during deposition) or implanted after deposition. Of course, such materials are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is not so limited.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a process 300 to form a multi-level memory device, according to an embodiment. FIGS. 4-13 show cross-section views of such a multi-level memory device at various stages of fabrication. At block 310, a process of forming peripheral circuitry on a substrate may begin with substrate 105, as shown in FIG. 4. In particular, to define transistors included in peripheral circuitry, well/threshold implantations, high-voltage (HV) oxidation, low-voltage (LV) oxidation 515, and a poly layer deposition may be performed. Next, after defining shallow trench isolation (STI) with an oxide filling and subsequent chemical-mechanical polish (CMP), and a conductive layer 430 such as tungsten silicon (WSi₂), for example, may be deposited on substrate 105. Such a deposition process may include CVD, MBE, and/or ALD, for example.

A mask may be deposited on structure 400 to pattern conductive layer 430 and at least a portion of poly layer 420. A resulting pattern may define multiple transistor gates of transistors included in peripheral circuitry 120, for example. Subsequent to transistor gate definition, LDD implants, spacer definition, and n+ and p+ implantation 555 may be performed near source/drain regions of such transistors. As shown in FIG. 5, resulting transistors 125 may comprise a gate stack including poly pattern 425 and conductive pattern 435 having sides covered by spacers 505. Transistors 125 may be used to control addressing and/or input/output operations of a memory device, for example.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of a transistor portion of a memory device including an ILD 145 encompassing transistor 125. A dielectric oxide, for example, may be deposited to cover substrate 105 and transistors 125 and subsequently polished via CMP, for example. Portions of resulting ILD 145 may be removed by etching to expose particular regions of transistors 125 for source/drain and/or gate contacts, for example. As shown in FIG. 7, such removed portions may be subsequently filled with a conductive material such as a metal to form conductive lines 130. In a particular implementation, such conductive lines may comprise tungsten, for example. A CMP process may then be used to polish a top portion of ILD 145 and conductive lines 130. At block 320 of process 300, additional ILD 147 may be deposited to cover conductive lines 130 and/or other portions of peripheral circuitry. At block 330, a first level memory cell array may begin to form by depositing a poly layer to cover ILD 147. Such a poly layer may be patterned and etched to form a poly pattern 720 that exposes regions 730 of ILD 147. In one implementation, poly pattern 720 may comprise substantially parallel multiple polysilicon lines that may correspond to bit lines of memory cells in a completed memory structure. Of course, such details of processes to form various portions of a memory device are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is limited in this respect.

Referring to FIG. 8, ONO 810 may be conformally deposited onto poly pattern 720. In particular, ONO 810 may comprise a blocking dielectric layer 820 (e.g., silicon oxide), a trapping dielectric layer 825 (e.g., silicon nitride), and a tunnel oxide layer 830 (e.g., silicon oxide). A metal cap 860 may be deposited to conformally cover ONO-covered poly pattern 720 and to fill intervening regions 805. Such a metal cap may comprise tantalum nitride (TaN), for example. As shown in FIG. 12, a low resistance metal layer 1210 may then be deposited to conformally cover resulting memory cells 140. Such a metal layer may comprise, for example, titanium, titanium nitride, tungsten (W), tungsten nitride (WN), tungsten silicide (WSi2), and/or a combination thereof. Of course, such materials are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is not so limited. In a particular implementation, ILD 135, which may comprise an oxide, may be conformally deposited onto low resistance metal layer 1210. An additional conformal nitride layer 1240 may cover ILD 135 and consequently form a foundation for which to fabricate a subsequent memory array level 115, for example, as at block 340.

FIG. 9 is a cross-section view substantially orthogonal to that of FIG. 8, according to an embodiment. In the cross-section view of FIG. 9, poly pattern 720 is shown to cover ILD 147. ONO 810 and metal cap 860 subsequently cover poly pattern 720. In a particular implementation, a portion of ONO 810 and metal cap 860 may be etched to expose a region 1010 of poly pattern 720, as shown in FIG. 10. Exposed region 1010 may then be subjected to carrier implantation such as n+ source implantation, for example. After such an implantation, low resistance metal layer 1210 may be deposited to fill and cover exposed region 1010 and to cover metal cap 860, as shown in FIG. 11. Such a conductive layer may comprise, for example, titanium, titanium nitride, tungsten, tungsten nitride, and/or a combination thereof. With such an approach, a source contact 1165 may be formed with cell patterning, and such an approach need not include a dedicated metallization process. Concurrently with cell patterning, a source selector transistor 1172, a drain selector transistor 1178, and gates 1174 may be formed. Further, contact straps for a source selector transistor (not shown), contact straps for a drain selector transistor (not shown), and contact straps for gates (not shown) may be formed. A drain contact (not shown) may be formed at region 1168. Of course, such materials are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is not so limited. A subsequent dielectric layer 135 may be deposited to cover low resistance metal layer 1210. Such a dielectric layer may comprise, for example, silicon oxide. A hard mask 1140, such as silicon nitride may be deposited on dielectric layer 135. Hard mask 1140 may subsequently be used to define word lines. A tilted source/drain implantation 1120 may be performed to dope source regions 250 and/or drain regions 251. Next, ILD deposition may be performed to fill spaces between gates. A planarization process may be performed using a selective process (e.g., ILD-removing-only process) up to hard mask 1140. At this stage, forming a new memory array level may begin with ILD deposition and a polysilicon deposition, for example.

FIG. 13 is a cross-section view of multi-level memory structure 1300 showing a variety of drain and/or source contacts, according to a number of embodiments. Such source/drain contacts may be formed during block 350 of process 300 in FIG. 3, to provide electrical connections among one or more levels of memory arrays, peripheral circuitry, and/or external circuitry such as a memory controller, for example. In one implementation involving periphery circuitry, strap source/word line contacts 1310, 1320, 1330, and 1340 may comprise plugs of a conductive material such as a metal. In particular, contact 1320 may electrically connect to a peripheral region of memory array level 1380, contact 1330 may electrically connect to a peripheral region of memory array level 1382, and contact 1340 may electrically connect to a peripheral region of memory array level 1384. In addition, contact 1310 may electrically connect to conductive lines 130, which may comprise a portion of peripheral circuitry, as discussed above. A technique to construct such contacts may involve an oxide-only etch process while selecting a proper etch depth in order to reach a particular memory array level. Subsequent to removing oxide by etching, resulting holes may be filled with a metal after which a CMP process may be performed, for example.

In an implementation involving drain contacts, a contact that extends beyond more than one memory array level may comprise a plurality of inter-level contacts that connect with one another via conductive plugs. Such drain contacts, for example, though claimed subject matter is not so limited. In a particular example, external circuitry (not shown) may connect to memory array level 1380 via inter-level contacts 1350, 1355, and 1360. A technique to construct such piece-wise contacts may involve a drain contact etch and fill process for individual memory array levels, adding a conductive plug using polysilicon, for example, and subsequently performing a planarization process (e.g., CMP). Thus, for example, inter-level contact 1360 may be formed after forming memory cell array level 1380 but before forming memory cell array level 1382. Similarly, inter-level contact 1355 may be formed after forming memory cell array level 1382 but before forming memory cell array level 1384, and so on.

In another implementation involving drain contacts, a contact that extends beyond more than one memory array level may comprise a single plug 1370 that extends from a topmost memory cell array level to a bottommost memory cell array level. Plug 1370 may comprise a drain contact for example. The relatively high aspect ratio inherent with single plug 1370 may introduce difficulties with etching and/or filling. Additionally, overlay management across multiple memory cell array levels may introduce difficulties for forming single plug 1370. For example, it may be difficult to align a mask on a surface above memory cell array level 1384 with a memory cell feature on memory cell array level 1380.

Corresponding bit lines (e.g., poly pattern 720) of respective memory array levels may be electrically shorted with one another using any of a variety of drain contact techniques.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of a computing system and a memory device, according to an embodiment. Such a computing device may comprise one or more processors, for example, to execute an application and/or other code. For example, memory device 1410 may comprise a multi-level memory device 100 shown in FIG. 1. A computing device 1404 may be representative of any device, appliance, or machine that may be configurable to manage memory device 1410. Memory device 1410 may include a memory controller 1415 and a memory 1422. By way of example but not limitation, computing device 1404 may include: one or more computing devices and/or platforms, such as, e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a workstation, a server device, or the like; one or more personal computing or communication devices or appliances, such as, e.g., a personal digital assistant, mobile communication device, or the like; a computing system and/or associated service provider capability, such as, e.g., a database or data storage service provider/system; and/or any combination thereof.

It is recognized that all or part of the various devices shown in system 1400, and the processes and methods as further described herein, may be implemented using or otherwise including hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. Thus, by way of example but not limitation, computing device 1404 may include at least one processing unit 1420 that is operatively coupled to memory 1422 through a bus 1440 and a host or memory controller 1415. Processing unit 1420 is representative of one or more circuits configurable to perform at least a portion of a data computing procedure or process. By way of example but not limitation, processing unit 1420 may include one or more processors, controllers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, field programmable gate arrays, and the like, or any combination thereof. Processing unit 1420 may include an operating system configured to communicate with memory controller 1415. Such an operating system may, for example, generate commands to be sent to memory controller 1415 over bus 1440. Such commands may comprise read and/or write commands. In response to a write command, for example, memory controller 1415 may provide a bias signal, such as a set or reset pulse to write information associated with the write command to a memory partition, for example. In an implementation, memory controller 1415 may operate memory device 1410, wherein processing unit 1420 may host one or more applications and/or initiate write commands to the memory controller to provide access to memory cells in memory device 1410, for example.

Memory 1422 is representative of any data storage mechanism. Memory 1422 may include, for example, a primary memory 1424 and/or a secondary memory 1426. Primary memory 1424 may include, for example, a random access memory, read only memory, etc. While illustrated in this example as being separate from processing unit 1420, it should be understood that all or part of primary memory 1424 may be provided within or otherwise co-located/coupled with processing unit 1420.

Secondary memory 1426 may include, for example, the same or similar type of memory as primary memory and/or one or more data storage devices or systems, such as, for example, a disk drive, an optical disc drive, a tape drive, a solid state memory drive, etc. In certain implementations, secondary memory 1426 may be operatively receptive of, or otherwise configurable to couple to, a computer-readable medium 1428. Computer-readable medium 1428 may include, for example, any medium that can carry and/or make accessible data, code, and/or instructions for one or more of the devices in system 1400.

Computing device 1404 may include, for example, an input/output 1432. Input/output 1432 is representative of one or more devices or features that may be configurable to accept or otherwise introduce human and/or machine inputs, and/or one or more devices or features that may be configurable to deliver or otherwise provide for human and/or machine outputs. By way of example but not limitation, input/output device 1432 may include an operatively configured display, speaker, keyboard, mouse, trackball, touch screen, data port, etc.

While there has been illustrated and described what are presently considered to be example embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted, without departing from claimed subject matter. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of claimed subject matter without departing from the central concept described herein. Therefore, it is intended that claimed subject matter not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that such claimed subject matter may also include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims, and equivalents thereof. 

1. A method of fabricating a memory device, the method comprising: forming peripheral circuitry on a substrate; depositing a dielectric layer over the peripheral circuitry and the substrate, wherein said peripheral circuitry is disposed between said substrate and said dielectric layer; successively forming each of a plurality of memory arrays over the dielectric layer to form a stack of memory arrays, each of the memory arrays on a different vertical level such that said memory arrays on different vertical levels are staggered with each of said memory arrays extending into a different horizontal position; and forming contacts extending through a topmost memory array level to provide electrical connections to each of the plurality of memory array levels and one or both of the peripheral circuit and external circuitry wherein the contacts contact said memory arrays in regions of said memory arrays without horizontal overlap between said memory arrays.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming contacts extending through the topmost memory array level comprises: simultaneously etching the stack to form contact openings extending to different levels; and filling the openings with a conductor.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein every memory array of the plurality of memory arrays directly connects to the external circuitry.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the memory arrays is inset from an edge of the substrate, and wherein each successively higher one of the memory arrays extends farther away from the edge than underlying memory arrays.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the contacts do not pass through any memory arrays.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the contacts comprise a continuous volume of conductor extending from a topmost memory cell array level to a bottommost memory cell array level.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact comprises a plurality of inter-level contacts extending between adjacent layers, wherein the inter-level contacts are vertically aligned and in electrical connection with one another.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein successively forming each of the plurality of memory arrays comprises: etching a contact opening in a memory array and filling the opening on each memory array level to form conductive plugs on each level; and providing a conductor between each of the plugs.
 9. A memory device comprising: a peripheral circuit on a substrate; a dielectric layer overlying the peripheral circuit and the substrate, wherein said peripheral circuitry is disposed between said substrate and said dielectric layer; a plurality of memory array levels forming a stack over the dielectric layer, wherein each of the memory arrays is located on a different vertical level such that said memory arrays on different vertical levels are staggered with each of said memory arrays extending into a different horizontal position; and a plurality of contacts extending through a topmost memory array level to provide electrical connections to each of the plurality of memory array levels and one or both of the peripheral circuit and external circuitry, wherein the contacts contact said memory arrays in regions of said memory arrays without horizontal overlap between said memory arrays.
 10. The memory device of claim 9, wherein every array in the plurality of memory arrays directly connects to the external circuitry.
 11. The memory device of claim 9, wherein each contact extends from the external circuitry to one of the plurality of memory array levels or the peripheral circuit, so that each of the memory array levels and the memory array levels and the peripheral circuit is in electrical connection to the external circuitry.
 12. The memory device of claim 9, wherein the contacts comprise a continuous volume of conductor from a topmost memory cell array level to a bottommost memory cell array level.
 13. The memory device of claim 9, wherein the contacts comprise inter-level contacts extending between adjacent layers, wherein the inter-level contacts are vertically aligned and in electrical connection with one another.
 14. The memory device of claim 13, wherein the connection between contacts comprises polysilicon.
 15. The memory device of claim 9, wherein the contacts comprise metal.
 16. A system comprising: a memory device comprising: a peripheral circuit on a substrate; a dielectric layer overlying the peripheral circuit and the substrate, wherein said peripheral circuitry is disposed between said substrate and said dielectric layer; a plurality of memory arrays forming a stack over the dielectric layer, wherein each of the memory arrays is located on a different vertical level such that said memory arrays on different vertical levels are staggered with each of said memory arrays extending into a different horizontal position; and a plurality of contacts extending through a topmost memory array level to provide electrical connections to each of the plurality of memory array levels and one or both of the peripheral circuit and external circuitry, wherein the contacts contact said memory arrays in regions of said memory arrays without horizontal overlap between said memory arrays; external circuitry comprising a memory controller to operate the memory device; and a processor to host one or more applications and to initiate write commands to the memory controller to provide access to memory cells in the memory arrays.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein each contact extends from the external circuitry to one of the plurality of memory array levels or the peripheral circuit, so that each of the memory array levels and the memory array levels and the peripheral circuit is in electrical connection to the external circuitry.
 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the contacts comprise a continuous volume of conductor from a topmost memory cell array level to a bottommost memory cell array level.
 19. The system of claim 16, wherein the contacts comprise a plurality of inter-level contacts extending between adjacent layers, wherein the inter-level contacts are vertically aligned and in electrical connection with one another. 